Willing Force
by oranfly
Summary: When she finally had enough space between her and the attacker she looked at his face and almost dropped her gun in surprise but kept the gun steadily pointing at the man. **COMPLETE**
1. Chapter 1

It was the sound of glass breaking, hard and sharp, that made Olivia reach for the gun resting in its holster. She crept quickly up her apartment stairs, keeping a little low so she wouldn't project any shadows into her window. The lights were dim in her place, implying that the hallway or kitchen light was on and casting a residual glow into her living room. When she got to her door she heard a muffled yell and the sound of furniture moving. Olivia gently tested the door knob and found it locked. Cursing under her breath that she had gotten the heavy duty bolted lock for her front door, she backed up a few feet and ran the short distance, bracing herself behind her shoulder as she aimed for the lock. The door smashes at the lock as she rolled into her apartment, gun at the ready, already sighting for a target. Her throbbing shoulder was a distant thing as she took in the crumpled body of her sister, curled up into a corner of the living room, bloodied and looking defeated. Olivia fought the urge to run to her and started looking around but she had been too slow and something hard made contact with the back of her head, causing her to fall flat onto the floor and her vision to blacken at the edges. Momentarily stunned she barely managed to roll out of the path of another swing aimed at her head. Olivia clumsily got to her feet and backed up quickly, almost falling over the coffee table in her attempt to get more space to aim and defend herself.

When she finally had enough space between her and the attacker she looked at his face and almost dropped her gun in surprise but kept the gun steadily pointing at the man. It was Greg. Rachel's ex-husband and Ella's father.

"I wouldn't have hurt her if she would've just told me where Ella was," he growled.

Olivia fought the urge to show her shock. He was planning on kidnapping Ella, but she was at a friend's house for her first sleepover.

"Get out, Greg, and never come back." Olivia said, trying to keep her voice from shaking in anger.

"Not until I know where Ella is."

Rachel made a strangled noise that sounded like a sob and Olivia glanced over at her sister, unable to stop herself and it was enough time for Greg to throw himself at her, knocking her gun to the side and her to the floor. When they hit the ground with Greg on top of her the wind escaped her lungs and she had trouble finding it for a moment. She brought up her hands to block his fists from making contact with her head, but after a few he got two in that had her seeing stars. She hadn't heard anything crack and she sent a silent thanks to whoever was listening for that. Olivia bolstered up whatever strength she had in reserve and twisted her body so that he fell off her. She quickly dove for her gun on the other side of her and before she could think too much about it she shot him in the center of his forehead. Greg's body dropped to the ground in a lifeless pile.

Olivia numbly crawled her way over to Rachel and sat beside her trying to get her to focus on her face rather than that of her dead ex-husband.

"Rachel, you're going to be okay, just look at me, alright?" Olivia said, cradling her sister's face in her bloodied palms.

The sound of sirens down the road grew louder and Olivia knew someone must've called the police when they heard the gun shot.

"Rachel, where are you hurt?" Olivia asked, searching her face and body for significant damage. She had a large cut across her forehead that was bleeding profusely and she looked to be bruising already, which was never a good sign.

"God, Liv, everything hurts," Rachel sobbed and moaned when her body jerked with the effect.

The sirens now sounded like they were right outside her apartment and a flood of armed cops came rushing into her door, pointing their guns at various locations in the room and settled on them. Olivia reached for the badge around her neck and held it up for the cops to see.

"Agent Olivia Dunham, FBI. I live here." Olivia said as calmly as she could manage. "My sister needs a medic, please say one came with you."

The lead cop nodded and dropped his gun and with the other hand lifted the radio snapped to his collar. "We need a medic in here now." He put down the radio and turned his attention back to Olivia as four medics rushed in and headed towards the sisters. "And who, Agent Dunham, is this?" He nodded his head towards the dead man on the floor.

"That's my sister's ex-husband, Greg Ryan." Olivia said, distracted by the three men and one woman who were laying Rachel out and checking her over before moving her gently onto a stretcher. One of them turned to her.

"It looks like you could use some medical attention yourself, miss." The man said.

Olivia shook her head. "Don't worry about me; just take care of my sister. I'll be fine."

The medic shook his head in disbelief and joined the others to hoist the stretcher up off the ground and out the door. The police steered Olivia out the door and sat her down outside to begin questioning her. The ambulance soon left, sirens blaring, and Olivia tried to keep calm as she answered all their questions. When the questioned started to repeat and Olivia's nerves were significantly frayed she snapped at the police officer.

"Look, I want to see my sister and make sure she's alright. She was beaten and almost killed by a man she used to love and she watched as I killed him!" Olivia was breathing heavy and turning redder with every word. "You can question me more later, but right now, I'm going to go see my sister." Olivia shrugged off the cop and headed toward her vehicle.

Olivia was ten minutes away when she remembered Ella. She didn't want her to worry needlessly about her mom, but Olivia didn't feel safe leaving her at her friend's house just now.

"Call Peter," Olivia said to the car and waited.

"Calling Peter." The car responded and the sound of ringing filled the car. After three rings he answered.

"Peter Bishop," he said. And just hearing his voice calmed her and some of the tension left her body.

"Hey, Peter. Can you do me a favor?" Olivia asked, trying to sound casual.

"Have I ever said 'no' to you?" Peter said laughing.

"Yes, but that's beside the point," she smiled a little despite the situation. "Could you pick up Ella from her friend's house and take her back to your place for the night? I'd feel safer if she were with you."

"Sure!" His voice was higher than normal and clearly shocked. "What happened Olivia?"

Olivia paused to find the wording. "I'm on my way to Memorial hospital to see Rachel, I-" Her voice broke and she took a deep breath. "I'll tell you more later. Do you think I could crash at your place too? Mine is currently unusable."

"Of course, 'Livia – anything you need." Peter said, meaning every word.

"Just don't tell Ella about Rachel yet. I don't want her to worry."

"Alright. Where is she right now?" Peter asked.

Olivia gave him the address and quickly ended their conversation as she had arrived at the hospital. When she got inside nurses bombarded her trying to steer her into a room to be checked out, but she waved them away and asked where her sister was. One of the nurses informed her that she wouldn't be able to get in to see her sister until the doctor was finished, but she assured her he would be done within a few hours. So Olivia found a seat in the waiting room nearest her sister's room and waited. The few hours passed with Olivia refusing medical attention and fighting the urge to sleep now that the adrenaline had left her system.

A doctor finally approached her and she quickly stood up, letting a wave of nausea wash over her and pass. Maybe she shouldn't have refused the medical attention; her head was throbbing.

"Doctor, how's my sister?" She asked, sounding so weak and unlike herself that she shivered.

The doctor looked her over and frowned. "She's going to live, but she has some rather serious injuries. She had some internal bleeding from a broken rib that cut through a couple organs, her right forearm is fractured, and she has a concussion."

Olivia turned paler as the doctor's words sunk in.

"I want to keep her here for a couple weeks. She'll have to undergo some minor surgery to patch up her insides and place her rib back in place, but she'll definitely live."

Olivia smiled weakly and nodded. "Can I see her?"

"Sure, but she's not awake and we'll be stopping by in an hour."

"Alright, thanks." Olivia quietly stepped inside her sister's room and gasped softly as she saw her lying in the bed. She looked so pale and lifeless that if it weren't for the monitor's steady beeping she would've thought she was dead. The long cut on her forehead had been stitched up and her right arm was in a brace. Her face was covered in bruises and her left eye looked to be swollen shut. Olivia couldn't keep the emotions at bay anymore and she sobbed, covering her mouth in an attempt to muffle the noise. What kind of protector was she if this had happened to her own sister in her apartment?

Olivia dragged a chair from the side of the room and set it next to Rachel so she could sit and hold her good hand. Silent tears made tracks down her face as she tormented her mind with what-ifs and her own failure to be there for her sister. Her silent hell was broken when a nurse knocked on the door and stepped in.

"I need to prep her for surgery and the doctor will be in soon. You should go home and get some sleep. We'll call you when she comes out of surgery." The nurse said gently.

Olivia nodded and wiped the tears from her face. Standing up and heading for the door, she glanced back and stared at her sister one more time before she left the hospital.

The ride to Peter's house was almost a blur and when she got there she glanced at her car clock; 2am. She groaned and pulled her keys out of the ignition and got out of the car. Olivia wasn't quite sure how she managed it, but she had made it to his door and knocked. She only waited a few seconds before the door swung open rather quickly by one Peter Bishop who was dressed in pajama pants and t-shirt. His face was tight with worry and he quickly pulled her in by the arm.

"God, Olivia! You look like you were put through a blender!" He tipped her chin up and turned her head to either side to assess the damage.

Olivia was too tired to even respond and she just stood there, staring at his chest because the pained expression on his face was going to make her cry again if she wasn't careful.

"'Livia, you're covered in blood," his voice almost choked.

"Most of it is probably Rachel's," Olivia murmured.

Peter grimaced and nodded. "Why don't you take a shower and I'll go grab something for you to sleep in."

Her mouth opened but he cut her off.

"Ella is asleep in the guest bedroom. She was a bit confused at first but as soon as Walter broke out candyland she was happy." Peter said, knowing what she was thinking.

She smiled softly up at him and locked her eyes with his. "Thank you, Peter. I don't-"

"Shhh," he shushed her and shook his head. "That's what friends are for. The shower is upstairs and it's the second door on the left." He gently nudged her towards the stairs and Olivia dragged her feet up the stairs while Peter followed. They parted directions at the top of the stairs; Olivia to the bathroom and Peter to his bedroom to pick out some clothes.

After picking through some clothes in his dresser, Peter settled on an MIT t-shirt and a pair of red basketball shorts. He gathered the garments and knocked softly on the bathroom door so he wouldn't wake Ella.

"Yeah?" She asked, just loud enough to be heard over the running water.

He cracked the door enough for his voice to travel better and steam seeped out of the bathroom and into the hall past him. "I've got a change of clothes."

"Could you set them on the sink?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah." Peter stepped into the bathroom, trying to keep his eyes on the floor and where he was walking. Unfortunately for him her discarded clothes were on the floor and even though he had seen them on her before he blushed. He turned quickly and set the clothes down and practically ran out so he wouldn't have to see the foggy outline of her body through the frost colored shower curtain. Closing the door softly behind him, Peter walked down the hall and poked his head into Ella's room. She was fast asleep, clutching an old teddy bear of Peter's that Walter had scavenged. Smiling, Peter quietly pulled the door almost closed again and returned to his room. He began to gather a spare pillow and blanket to take down stairs when Olivia appeared in his bedroom doorway, clad only in his clothes. Her hair looked like a tangled wet mess and the cut and bruises on her cheek stood out like beacons. Peter wanted to run to her and pull her into his arms and never let her go, but Olivia loathed weakness and he knew she might not appreciate it right now.

"I was just grabbing some things to make a bed for myself downstairs. You can have the bed." He gathered the slipping blanket back into his arms and was about to walk past her when she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Peter," her voice was soft and if she hadn't grabbed his arm to stop him, he would've thought it was just in his head. "I'm not kicking you out of your own bed. We're both adults and I think we can handle sharing." She was smirking at him as if she found his idea of sleeping on the couch amusing.

"You're sure?" Peter asked, his eyes smoldering into hers. With that tone Olivia wasn't sure what question she was answering as he seemed to be asking something else entirely with his eyes. Her smile faltered and she nodded.

"Just stay on your side Bishop," she joked lightly.

Peter just smiled and shook his head as he returned the pillow and blanket to the bed. They each climbed in the bed on opposite sides and brought the covers over them.

"I know you're probably exhausted beyond all reason, but it'd be nice to know what happened tonight." Peter said gently.

Olivia sighed and rolled over onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. "I-" Olivia paused, her voice on the verge of breaking. "I killed him, Peter."

Peter sat up quickly in bed and stared down at her. "Who, Olivia?"

"Greg, Rachel's ex-husband. He-" Olivia shook her head and screwed up her face in the rush of the memory. "He had beaten her so badly. I barely recognized her cowering in a corner to avoid him." Traitorous tears tracked down her cheeks as she battled that last image of her sister.

"Livia," he sighed her name and lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms, turning her face into his chest. Olivia buried her face into his chest and let the tears fall. Peter made small soothing circles on her back and smoothed her hair back. "You saved her, 'Livia. If you hadn't shown up and-" He paused. "You saved her."

Olivia broke hearing his defense for her; the opposite of what she had been thinking the entire time. Sobs racked her body and she fell apart in his arms and for the first time since she could remember, she felt safe. She knew he wouldn't hold this moment against her and for tonight she wasn't going to fight her façade to be tough.

After fifteen minutes Peter felt Olivia slacken and her breath came steady slow. He didn't want to waken her, so trying to move as minimally as possible, Peter made himself comfortable and fell asleep with the scent of his shampoo and Olivia mixed into one.

A/N: I forgot I had this buried in my laptop so I thought I'd share. Expect quick updates : ) And if you don't hate me, please review and let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Olivia woke, feeling sleepy still, but lighter than normal. Like some great burden had been lifted. She also had the distinct feeling that she was being watched. Awareness flooded through her as she opened her eyes to see Ella staring at her from the edge of the bed. Olivia smiled at her niece and tried to move, but quickly realized that she was being held in place by an arm. She glanced around for the owner of the arm and discovered that she was half lying on a sleeping Peter with her arm around his torso as if he were her personal body pillow. Olivia blushed and tried to carefully untangle herself from him without waking him up, but once she pulled her arm back from around him his eyes fluttered open.

"Wass goin on?" He asked groggily, still blinking his eyes to adjust to being awake and when his gaze finally settled on her and she was half sitting up with her hand resting on his chest he blushed and looked away, catching sight of Ella for the first time. "Good morning, Cindy." He smiled over at her and the look sent Ella into a fit of giggles and smiles.

"Cindy?" Olivia asked stupidly.

"It's short for Cinderella!" Ella exclaimed as if it were common knowledge.

"Of course it is," Olivia smiled.

"Peter thinks I'm a princess!" Ella squealed in delight.

"Of course I do!" Peter assured her playfully.

"Then what is Aunt Liv?" She batted her eyes at Peter, waiting excitedly for his answer.

Peter pretended to look deep in thought before he brought a hand up in exclamation. "How about the knight in shining armor!"

Ella giggled and shook her head. "Only boys can be knights, silly!"

Peter laughed. "Not true! Besides if anyone is a knight it's your aunt."

Ella laughed and accepted his word for truth. Olivia snorted and chuckled out loud; the girl was clearly smitten with the youngest Bishop. Peter raised his eyebrow at here in question but she just shook her head.

"Well, is the princess and knight ready for some breakfast?" Peter asked.

"Yeah!" Ella shouted and she was a blur across the room and out the door, in theory running towards the kitchen. Peter hoped that Walter wasn't awake yet.

Olivia awkwardly finished untangling herself from Peter and rolled off the other side of the bed away from him.

"Peter," she locked her eyes with his. "Thank you, really. For everything."

Peter smiled softly at her and nodded.

When Olivia and Peter entered the kitchen, Ella was bouncing in her seat at the table and Walter was making waffles while humming an old tune.

"Good morning, Walter." Peter said, already taking a seat at the table opposite Ella.

Walter turned and saw them and smiled excitedly. "Good morning Peter. Olivia!" Walter nearly dropped the waffle in his excitement of seeing the agent. "I'm so glad you two have come to your senses and given in to more carnal needs!"

Peter who had started drinking a glass of orange juice nearly choked and orange juice came out his nose. Ella went into a fit of giggles as orange juice dribbled down Peter's face. Both Peter and Olivia blushed bright red while Walter returned to making breakfast.

"Walter! There's a child in the room and you know Olivia and I are just friends." Peter exasperated while mopping up the orange juice mess. He gave her an apologetic look and Walter just ignored them all together.

When everyone had finished consuming a fair share of waffles Olivia offered to do dishes since Walter had cooked.

"I insist," she smiled at Walter who was beginning to fuss. She got up and started picking up plates. Peter jumped to his feet to help and Walter led Ella into the living room to watch cartoons. Peter and Olivia were quiet as they maneuvered around each other to clean up and wash dishes.

"So what are you going to do today?" Peter asked as he dried the plate Olivia handed him.

"I want to stop by the hospital to see Rachel. She should be out of surgery by now." Olivia handed him a clean glass for him to dry. "But I don't want Ella to see her mom like this."

"You don't even need to ask." Peter set the glass to the side. "If you want, I could drop you off at the hospital and Ella and I can continue on to the park for a couple hours then we could pick you up again."

Olivia smirked at him; he really was a Godsend. She nodded, "that'd be great. You're sure hanging around at a park swamped with kids is what you want to do?" She smiled teasingly.

Peter chuckled and took another glass from her. "She's an amazing little girl and maybe if she were someone else – some bratty kid, I might not want to, but I can honestly say it sounds like it could be fun."

"Rachel has done a great job raising her," Olivia smiled distractedly.

"And she's got a strong and brave aunt as her hero," Peter said.

"Hero?" Olivia asked, turning to him and forgetting the dishes.

Peter nodded and set another glass down. "It's all she would talk about last night – how she would grow up to be just like her aunt Liv and catch the bad guys and put them in jail."

Olivia could feel her eyes welling with tears but she blinked them back. "I certainly hope she doesn't." Olivia murmured and returned to the last of the dishes.

Since Olivia's clothes were smeared with blood they had decided to stop by the apartment to pack some clothes for the few days they would be staying at the Bishop residence. Ella stayed in the car with Peter while Olivia went inside for their things. Peter had been hesitant to let her go in by herself, but Olivia had pointed out that she wasn't leaving Ella alone in the car with Walter and she couldn't come inside so Peter sat in the driver's seat looking on edge letting his gaze follow her all the way inside until she disappeared behind the door. Peter thrummed his fingers on the steering wheel while he listened to Ella trying to teach Walter how to play rock-paper-scissors. His mind was racing with doubts and worries over Olivia who was facing what had happened last night all too soon and alone. Ten minutes passed and Peter was about to give in and run in after her when she reappeared outside her door, locking it behind her. She swung a medium sized duffle over her shoulder and crossed the distance between her place and the car as quickly as she could without running. When she was sitting in the passenger side seat she glanced at Peter, whose worry was written across his face. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but they both knew the truth, she was far from feeling alright.

That evening they ordered in pizza and rented Homeward Bound and Jurassic Park. Walter sat in the reclining chair while Ella sat wedged between Peter and Olivia on the couch. They watch Homeward bound first at Ella's insistence and ate their pizza while Walter went on about how life like the talking animals were.

They were half way through Jurassic Park when Peter realized he was the only one awake. He almost laughed out loud. How did someone fall asleep through a movie where everyone screamed and the dinosaurs were freaking loud. Ella was snuggled up close to him with her face buried in his side, while Olivia and Walter just had their heads tipped back and were making a chorus of snores – Walter's being the loudest. Shaking his head in amusement, Peter gently peeled Ella off him and stood up. He took a moment to stretch and then scooped the small girl into his arms and proceeded to take her up to the guest bedroom. Luckily they had thought ahead and got her into pajamas before the movies so that all he had to do was pull the blankets up and over her. He took the teddy bear off the spare dresser and laid it beside her then left the door open a crack so the hallway light creeped in.

When he got downstairs both Olivia and Walter were still fast asleep, so Peter turned the TV off and laid a blanket over Walter so he wouldn't get cold in the night. Turning to Olivia, Peter debated whether or not it would be smart to carry her upstairs or to just wake her and let her decide what she wanted. Deciding that she could very well kick his ass if she woke up while he was carrying her he gently shook her knee and whispered her name.

"'Livia."

Her head shot up and her hand reached for an invisible gun.

"You're okay, 'Livia." He cupped her cheek and kept eye contact.

"Peter," she sighed his name and let her eyes close. When she opened them again she seemed to be more awake. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, but I am glad you don't watch movies while armed." He joked. That had earned him a laugh and smile. "Did you still want to share my bed or would you prefer I sleep down here?" He was giving her an out and she half wanted to take it, but taking it meant that she knew there was something more going on between them and she couldn't admit that.

"I think we can manage to share," she smiled up at him.

He held his hand out to her to help her up even though they both knew she didn't need it. She took it and let him pull her up; their bodies coming within a few inches of each other. Olivia just blushed and stepped over and around him.

"I call the bathroom first," she said and was up the stairs before he could blink. Peter just rolled his eyes and made his way up to the bedroom. They hadn't had time to make it that morning so he busied himself with tidying it so it at least kind of looked like a bed and then picked out a t-shirt to wear to bed. He'd learned from last night that it got entirely too warm with Olivia in the bed too so he wasn't going to be wearing the pajama pants tonight. Peter undid his pants and let them drop to the floor and lifted the shirt up and over his head. He threw both items in the hamper and was about to put on the other shirt when he felt the urge to turn around. Standing in his bedroom doorway for the second time in two nights was Olivia. She was holding her day clothes while dressed in a pair of shortish running shorts and a tank top and her lips were just slightly parted and her eyes looked dazed.

Peter smirked at her; he just couldn't help himself. Olivia quickly recovered though and snapped her eyes up to his face and then away.

"You're wearing more than that, right?" Olivia almost whined.

Peter let out a hearty chuckle. "Afraid you'll like it too much, Dunham?"

She scowled at him, "in your dreams, Bishop." She made her way over to her side of the bed and then promptly cursed herself silently for calling it "her" side to begin with. She manhandled the pillow for a moment then settled her head on it.

Peter finished putting the shirt on then ducked out of the room to use the bathroom. When he returned the lights in the bedroom were out and Olivia appeared to be asleep once again. Not wanting to disturb her he slid into the available side of the bed and turned his back to her like she had done to him.

A/N: I want to thank the ever faithfuls; wjobsessed, Skate-815, and LittleHiddenAngel! You three keep my spirits high and the urge to write strong. Also, thank you to tansypool and mara for leaving such wonderful reviews. And last, but never least, a big thank you to Americanchick who's read this what seems like forever ago and encouraged me to continue.


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia felt the bed beside her shift and then once again more quickly. Awareness slowly flooded her senses and began to hear soft murmuring – no; begging or pleading. She was almost completely awake when she heard him call out in his sleep.

"DAD, NOOO!"

Olivia shot up in bed and looked over at Peter who was thrashing in his sleep; the blankets tangled around him. Instinctively Olivia reached out and shook him by the shoulders.

"Peter!" She whispered it loudly and when it had no effect, she spoke his name louder. "Peter!"

His eyes shot open and he sat up quickly and Olivia couldn't get out of the way before their heads collided. They both rubbed their foreheads and moaned.

"God, Olivia, I'm sorry." He peaked at her from around his hand.

She half laughed, "it's alright. Not like you meant to try and knock me out." She smirked at him and dropped her hand. "You were having a nightmare."

Peter's small smile quickly disappeared. "I know." He turned and lay back down in bed, facing away from her.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Olivia asked, staring down at him. She was met with silence and after a minute she came to the conclusion he didn't want to confide in her. Disappointed, she made to lay back down when he started talking.

"It's the same dream I've had since I was nine. The one where Walter – " He paused. "Well, you know."

Olivia rested her hand on his bicep, just under the t-shirt line and a second later Peter rested his hand on top of hers.

"I just thought, that after knowing what happened and why that the nightmares would stop. I'm not sure I completely forgive him, but I think I kind of understand his motives and reasoning and that should've made this insanity stop." Peter sighed and shook his head into the pillow. "I don't know."

Olivia, sensing what he needed, curled her body behind his and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling them so close there wasn't any space between them. She nestled her face in the space where his back and neck met and breathed in the scent that was wholly his.

"Something that traumatic takes some time, Peter." She murmured into his neck. "Don't agonize yourself over it."

Peter was silent for some time and Olivia was convinced he had fallen back asleep and debated whether or not to move back to her side of the bed. Being this close with him just felt right somehow, but she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. After all, she was just his partner and fickle friend. Resigned to relocating herself, Olivia slowly withdrew her arm from around him and began to gently move back to her side when he turned around and faced her. Before she could retreat any further he reached out to her and pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. Olivia at first had her hands pinned against his chest but slowly moved them around his upper body so that she could be completely surrounded by him.

"Thank you, 'Livia." He whispered into her hair.

"That's what friends are for," she used his line from earlier and they both smiled at that though neither saw it as they were pressed so close. Neither one moved as they drifted back into a peaceful sleep, cocooned in each others' arms.

Peter had never been a fan of sharing a bed with a woman – or anyone for that matter. He liked having his space and to not have to worry about cuddling and sweet talking with his partner in the morning. Peter needed his peace, quiet, and space to not deal with all that woman stuff, but waking up with Olivia wrapped tightly in his arms and her soft snores filling his ears, he couldn't imagine wanting to be anywhere else. Peter had one arm under her pillow and the other wrapped around her waist, keeping her flush against him, while Olivia had one arm loosely draped over him and the other fisted gently in his shirt and pressed between them. He watched as her eyes moved rapidly beneath her eye lids indicating that she must be dreaming. A soft humming noise slipped past her lips and Peter listened in complete fascination as the hum turned into a soft moan and then an even quieter gasp. Before Peter could stop himself he could feel his body reacting to the noises she was making. If she woke up any time soon she would feel his morning arousal pressed into her lower stomach.

Peter slowly brought his arm from around her and was about to move away when Olivia moaned again and her hips jerked forward in her sleep. Peter couldn't help the groan as all the blood in his body flooded into one very specific region. She was trying to kill him – that had to be it. When her hips jerked forward again Peter couldn't help but grip her hip to keep her still. Anymore movement from her and he was going to explode like a lust driven teenager. And of course, as his luck was going, her eyes fluttered open then. Clouded over with sleep and lust at first and then widening in shock upon seeing him so close and then she must have felt him pressed into her and she gasped.

Before Peter could over think it, he dipped his head down to meet hers and captured her lips with his and kissed her. It was soft and sweet at first, belying the lust they had both been feeling, but her lips remained frozen and when he was about to pull away with a lame excuse he felt her return the kiss with as much passion as they were currently feeling. Her hand fisted tighter into his shirt and her arm that had been draped over him now held him as tightly to her as her strength and position allowed. Using his hips, Peter flipped Olivia over onto her back and pinned her with his lower body as his lips continued to ravish hers. Olivia ground her lower body into his and raked her fingers down his back through the t-shirt. Needing to feel bare skin, she teased her hands under the hem of his shirt and then felt her way up his chest, feeling muscles twinge and tense under her finger tips. Peter groaned into her mouth and broke away to trail wet kisses along her jaw and down to her neck. Olivia's breath became heavy as he covered sensitive spots along her neck and then down to the places just above her shirt line.

Olivia gasped his name and writhed beneath him. It must've been hearing his name from her lips like that that caused him to pull back and think some.

"'Livia, are you sure about this? I mean what we're doing – well, what are we doing?" Peter said shaking some sense into his head.

Olivia looked up at him, clearly confused. "I thought we were finding a solution to this sexual tension…" She blushed a light shade of pink having said all that out loud.

"But is that all? Just no strings attached sex between friends?" Peter asked, settling her with a very intense gaze.

Olivia wasn't sure how to answer. He was her partner and friend. What if anything more fucked up their blooming partnership? They were just beginning to work very well together in a fashion that few partners at the bureau could ever achieve. Did she really want to ruin that for a tumble in the sheets? Albeit, a very promising tumble in the sheets? The confusion must've been written all over her face because he pulled away from her and tugged the blanket over this lower body to hide himself.

"It's okay, Olivia. You don't need to explain." Peter said, looking away from her. But the hurt look on his face made her want to.

"Peter – it's not what you think. We're partners and finally friends after everything we've gone through and as much as I may want you physically, I can't lose you too – " her voice broke at the last part and Peter's resolve to be upset with her crumbled. He moved in beside her and hugged her, letting her rest her head on his chest.

"You'll always be my friend, 'Livia. That could never change. I think I respect you too much for that to change." He smiled into her hair and continued to rub her back and soothe her. "And I'm not going anywhere." He finished with such determination that Olivia actually believed him. Olivia allowed herself the small indulgence to stay wrapped in his warm embrace so that she could memorize this feeling of safety and comfort for later when she knew she couldn't have it.

A soft knock on the door made a quick end to their hug and Peter cleared his throat.

"Who is it?"

"It's your father, Walter Bishop-"

"And Ella!" Ella piped in. "Can we have breakfast yet?" She shouted through the door.

Olivia and Peter turned to each other with raised eyebrows.

"Well at least they didn't barge in," Olivia said softly, then laughed.

Peter smiled on that note. "Yeah, we'll be down in a minute."

"Yippee!" Ella shouted and the sound of her racing feet bounced off the walls, followed by a steady shuffling of Walter's feet.

They had made it half way through breakfast when Olivia heard her phone vibrating upstairs. She made a hasty dash across the kitchen and practically flew up the stairs. Peter seemed to be the only one concerned as Ella ate her fruit loops systematically picking through the colors and Walter slurped down his milk. But he waited patiently for a few minutes before Olivia came back and looked at him gravely.

"We've got a case." She said.

Walter chose that moment to notice her. "What are we waiting for then?" Walter nearly dropped his bowl and raced to his room to get ready.

"I don't suppose you could give Astrid a call while I get this munchkin here ready?" Olivia asked, nodding towards Ella.

"Sure."

"Maybe let her know we'll be dropping off a visitor at the lab for her to keep an eye on."

Peter laughed. "Is it just me, or does Astrid always babysit?"

Olivia shrugged, "I'll make sure she gets a good Christmas bonus." She smirked a little. "Hey Ella, when you're done eating come up stairs and get read, kay?"

Ella nodded as she took a bite of yellow fruit loops.

"Good girl." Olivia smiled down at her and then left to go upstairs and get herself ready.

A/N: I feel absolutely spoiled with all the wonderful reviews I got from the last chapter! But please keep them coming :-D There'll be more all around action from here on out so stay tuned if you're into crazy hot sex, shoot outs, and angsty-ness!


	4. Chapter 4

As far as cases went, this one was definitely on the gruesome side. The warehouse had blood and thicker things spread everywhere. They had actually made anyone who entered wear the little cloth sanitary booties over their shoes. The acrid and metallic smell flooded Olivia's senses and she fought not to gag. Even breathing through her mouth hadn't helped, as it meant that she tasted it instead. So she took a few deep slow breaths and ignored the smell as best she could. Four steps in and a young-ish man came running past her from inside the room and had practically thrown his camera at Peter who took it on instinct. Five seconds later the sound of retching came from the door she saw the man flee through. She looked up to Peter who was only a few steps behind her and he shrugged and stuck his head through the camera strap.

"I always wanted to take up photography," he grimaced.

Olivia almost smiled at that, but then scent of gore washed over her again and she frowned. They slowly made their way through the gory mess, Peter snapping pictures every few seconds, Walter stopping to kneel beside some of the larger chunks of body parts that had little more than bone remaining, and Olivia pausing with Walter to pick his brain for ideas.

"I have a feeling that if I could spend some time with a few of these parts in the lab I will know what we're dealing with here." Walter said gravely.

Olivia nodded and turned to the only rookie that hadn't fled the premises to throw up. "Could we get as many of the parts as Dr. Bishop asks for bagged and tagged?"

The rookie paled a bit at the edges but stubbornly nodded and left to get more bags.

"Hey Dunham," Peter called from the edge of the room. Olivia turned and started walking towards him as he took a few more pictures from different angles of one particular spot. When Olivia got closer, Peter held out his arm across her body to stop her and then pointed down with his other hand. They both squatted down for a closer look and that's when Olivia saw it; a perfect paw print, except that it had five narrow forepads and a smear of blood three inches from the tips of these pads that were probably claw marks.

They each looked into the other's eyes and grimaced.

"Walter!" Peter turned from his kneeling position to call towards Walter. "You're going to want to see this." He turned back to flash a few more pictures before Walter got to them. Olivia stood up and moved back so Walter could get better access to the evidence.

The elder Bishop squatted down and began muttering scientific terminology under his breath before turning to Peter to be sure he'd gotten a picture.

"Yes, Walter. I've got the picture from a dozen angles and I'm sure the FBI will make sure we get copies," he glanced at Olivia who nodded in affirmation.

"Peter, if you could also take measurements so that we could estimate the size of this creature," Walter said calmly and nodded, backing away to look at other evidence. Peter nodded and swung the camera so it rested on his back and got his tape measure out. Olivia left him to his work and made for the exit. She needed fresh air; badly. When she broke free of the warehouse she gulped air down as if she had been holding it the entire time she was in there. She was seasoned enough not to throw up, but that didn't mean what was in that warehouse didn't affect her. Olivia wiped at the beads of sweat that had begun to show on her forehead from the sauna-conditioned insides. She turned around to head in and ran straight into Peter. Mumbling an apology she moved to go around him, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"You alright?" He asked, giving her that searching look that she swore could see right through her.

She nodded stiffly. "Yeah, let's just get this over with so we can get out of here."

His eyes narrowed at her but he didn't say anything more and just nodded. They finished up at the warehouse four hours later and Walter was ready to go straight to the lab and continue working. Peter and Olivia shared a glance that said they were clearly exhausted and they wanted nothing more than to call it a day, but that wasn't the hand they were dealt and they would have to deal with it. When they got back to the lab, Olivia distracted Ella in her office while all the body parts were wheeled in and being set up by the others. Once finished, Olivia gave Ella a coloring book and some crayons while she checked in on everyone else. She only made a quick round around the lab before returning to the office to start organizing all the paperwork and gathering the pictures so that Walter could review them when he was ready, careful to make sure Ella wouldn't glimpse any of the photos. It was about an hour before Ella got noticeable antsy.

"Aunt Liv?" Ella stood up from her spot on the couch.

"Yes mam?" Olivia asked, all smiles for her niece.

"Is it time for dinner yet? I'm really hungry." Ella said, putting on her most innocent puppy dog face.

Olivia laughed and nodded. "What sounds good?"

"Pizza!" Ella squealed and bounced in excitement.

"Aw, Ella, we had that last night!" Olivia said dramatically.

Ella gave her a pouting look that quickly turned real. "Well, some of mom's sketti would be good…"

"Oh Ella-bear," Olivia knelt down beside Ella pulled the girl into her arms. Ella only sniffled as she hugged her aunt.

"When is mommy coming back? I miss her," Ella said, fighting tears.

"Oh honey, she's coming back soon, I promise." Olivia scooped the small girl up and carried her over to the couch and sat down with her in her lap. Running soothing hands over Ella's hair and back, her shuddering sobs softened and then stopped until her breath was even and she had tired herself out into a nap. Olivia smiled and felt the combination of comfort and peace pulling her into a similar state of sleep.

Peter sighed in frustration as Walter brought up cheeseburgers and onion rings for the tenth time. They'd obviously hit a wall that they weren't getting past until Walter could fulfill his need for his latest fried food.

"Alright, fine, Walter. I'm sure Ella has got to be getting hungry too. I'll just go see if they want to join us." Peter called back to his father as he navigated the lab toward Olivia's office. He tapped lightly on the door and then cracked it open. When he didn't see Olivia at her desk he stepped in further and saw them on the couch passed out. Peter smiled at how cute they looked. Seeing Olivia with Ella was a real eye opener for Peter, who had mostly seen the tough cop side of Olivia with small glimpses of something more. But when Ella was in the room it was like Olivia lit up from the inside and she would laugh and smile as if she hadn't a care in the world. And now her face was completely unguarded and relaxed as she sat sleeping with her niece curled up in her arms. He was about to back out and just leave a note for her to call him if they wanted anything brought back when Olivia's eyes batted open and landed on him.

She mouthed a greeting, 'Hey' and gave him a smile before her mind leapt to the reason he was there and her brown knit in concern.

Peter cut her off with a shake of her head and wordlessly pointed out toward the lab, rubbed his stomach, and then motioned to eating a burger.

Olivia couldn't help and she giggled; low and soft but the little girl in her arms still stirred. Ella lifted her head sleepily from her aunt's shoulder and peered up at her.

"Aunt Liv?" Ella asked yawning.

"Hey there sleepy-head. Are you still hungry?" Olivia asked.

Ella paused as if waiting for her stomach to answer for her and then nodded.

"Well that's great, because Walter is craving cheeseburgers and onion rings!" Peter said enthusiastically making Ella smile brightly. "You don't like cheeseburgers though, right Cindy?"

"Yes! YES!" Ella began to bounce in her excitement and Olivia had to make sure the girl didn't slip off her lap.

"Alright, alright!" Olivia picked Ella up and set her feet on the ground and stretched her sore body out, noticing Peter's gaze flicker down to the exposed strip of her stomach and instantly turned a shade darker. Olivia dragged her eyes away from him and tried to ignore the fact that she just caught him checking her out. When she was on her feet and all skin was covered she looked up at him and his face was set at "unreadable". "So, cheeseburgers, huh?"

"Uh, yeah. Walter's been rambling about them for the last hour." Peter said casually. "You don't mind, do you?"

Even if she could say 'no' to Ella she was drawn to him. When did everything get this complicated? "No, no, that sounds good. We'll meet you at the lab door in a minute after we clean up this crayon massacre."

Peter nodded and left them to the coloring mess and started getting himself ready and helping Walter and Astrid close things down.

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter. Chapter 5 will be posted tomorrow! It's done already so if it isn't posted by tomorrow, someone yell at me : ) Reviews make me happy… *hint hint*


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner was a laughing affair with everyone in smiles and Peter and Ella singing the wheels on the bus song the whole way home. Walter would try to join in, but Olivia thought he secretly enjoyed watching Peter and Ella interact. Maybe he was thinking ahead to his own grandchildren. Olivia shook her head smirking and continued the drive back. When they were all piled out of the car and in the house Ella surprisingly didn't put up any fight at all and was off to brush her teeth and wash her face, but only if Peter would read her a bed time story. Peter, of course, agreed and said he'd be up after her in a few minutes and if she was in bed then he'd read her the story.

Ella raced up the stairs and was out of sight before Olivia could blink.

"She really likes you," Olivia commented, grinning at him.

"What's not to like?" Peter asked jovially. "Tall, dark, handsome, good sense of humor, and I know my Disney princesses."

Olivia snorted and shook her head. "How do you fit that head of yours through doorways?"

Peter rolled his eyes. "Well you only have yourself to blame." He smirked at her and headed toward the kitchen.

Walter was already sitting on the floor in front of a tall bookshelf assumedly trying to figure out what to read next. Olivia decided that after that gruesome scene today, nothing sounded better than a hot shower and so she headed up the stairs. While waiting for Ella to finish up in the bathroom, Olivia went about grabbing her pajamas. When Ella was finished, Olivia set her clothes down in the bathroom and escorted Ella to her temporary bedroom to help her pick out some pajamas and say goodnight. There was a light tap on the door as Olivia tucked Ella in and Peter poked his head through the doorway.

"Are you ready?" Peter asked.

Olivia glanced at Ella who was nodding vigorously. "Alright then, g'night Ella-bear. Sleep tight." She pressed a kiss onto her niece's forehead and straightened up. As her and Peter passed each other she reached out a hand to stop him a moment. "Thanks, Peter."

Peter looked into her eyes as if he was reading her soul and it almost sent a shiver down Olivia's back. "Anytime, you know that."

Olivia smiled nervously and then the moment was passed. She escaped to the bathroom and reveled in the steam and burning hot water that left her skin pink and clean. When she was all cleaned up and dressed for bed she padded out into the hallway and then felt an overwhelming urge to check up on Ella and Peter. The door was opened just a crack, letting their voices carry softly out into the hallway.

"Peter, will you marry me when I'm older?" Ella asked with her serious voice.

"I'll be a very old man by then, Ella. Besides someday when you're much older you'll meet a very good man who deserves someone as sweet as you." Peter replied sweetly.

Olivia smiled at how nice he was handling that kind of question.

"It's cos you love aunt Liv isn't it?" Ella asked demurely.

Olivia expected him to start laughing and deny it with every last breath in his body but there was only silence.

"Why don't you marry her then?" Ella asked. "Then you could be my uncle Peter!"

"Whoa! It's just not that easy Ella. Things get more complicated as you get older. I don't expect you to understand now, but someday you will."

"But-"

"Nope! And don't go telling your aunt this. We don't want to scare her off."

"Why would she be scared to know you love her?" Ella asked.

"Because I know she doesn't feel the same. So, no more talk of love and weddings. You need to get some sleep." Peter said and Olivia heard the ruffle of blankets as she quietly dashed back to the bedroom and fought the impending flood of panic threatening to consume her.

She only had a few seconds to school her face to normal before he would enter the room and so Olivia let her mind go blank and her body relax even though all she wanted to do was run screaming into the night. Olivia walked across the room and started to make the bed as they had left it in disarray just that morning and never really fixed it. She heard Peter come into the room and he wordlessly made for his dresser to grab some clothes before heading back out the door.

Olivia almost sighed in relief and when the bed was made she sprawled out on top of the blankets and finally let the panic consume her so she could hide it better when he was back. How could he _love_ her? Like was more probable of all the emotions, but _love_? That four letter word seemed to taint everything that had ever happened between them. All of the times he'd asked how she was or dove into certain danger to help or save her. Was it because he felt more than just friendship for her? Wait – love didn't necessarily mean more than friends love, he could've meant that he loved her as a sister or close friend. Although, what they had done this morning wasn't a very good example of what brothers and sisters did. Olivia sighed in relief and let the tension leave her body. It had to be that he loved her as a friend. If Olivia were honest with herself, she could probably say the same for him. They had been through so much in the last year and a half that becoming friends was just natural and then when you add all the times they've gone back and forth rescuing each other, a friend-like love seemed likely. She still wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of loving him in any capacity, but it was innocent enough and she would just have to work hard to make sure he never left or died.

"You look as if you've had an epiphany," Peter's voice almost echoed in the silence of the room making Olivia jump to a sitting position.

She flushed bright red before flopping back down. "You scared the crap out of me." She admonished, staring up at the ceiling.

Peter chuckled and stepped fully into the room. His hair was still wet and curled at the ends with tiny droplets of water occasionally dropping onto his covered shoulders. He was already dressed for bed but ran a towel over his hair again so his pillow wouldn't get too wet and then tossed the towel into the clothes hamper. Olivia tried not to stare as he crossed the room and lifting the edge of the covers, and settled himself into the bed beside her.

"Peter?"

"Yeah?" They were both staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry I've turned this place upside down by bringing myself and Ella here these last few nights. I'll call Broyles tomorrow and see if the cleanup crew can move my place up on the list so we can be out of your hair." Olivia said, not daring to look over at Peter because she knew he was staring at her now.

"What? Olivia, you're not a nuisance and neither is Ella. Truth be told, this place has become more alive with you two staying here. I've never seen Walter so happy as he is eating breakfast with Ella. He's even started copying her systematic approach to fruit loops in favor of his size and mass ratio system." Peter was now sitting up and staring down at her. "I think we'll both be sad when you and Ella have to leave."

"Because we're friends?" Olivia asked, finally meeting his eyes. She needed to be able to read him when he answered the question.

"Yeah," his voice had gotten a little thick and his eyes dilated and receded in a matter of seconds. "Because we're friends."

He was lying and she saw it in his face and heard it in his voice. And at the moment all she wanted was to feel that love he felt; to test it and feel it down to her core and know if it was real or not. Olivia sat up and ever so slowly moved closer to him, giving him the time and space to escape if he wanted it. Her eyes went from his dark gaze and down to his lips for a few seconds before going up to his eyes again. There would be no misinterpreting this next move if they made it. They both closed the distance between them and met in a tentative kiss. After a few seconds of mostly just lips touching Olivia felt Peter start to pull back so she took up the initiative and moved closer to deepen the kiss. Peter groaned into her mouth as their lips parted and tongues twisted together. They kissed like that for several minutes before Peter pulled back, eliciting a small groan of disappointment from Olivia.

"Livia – what-" But Olivia put a finger to his lips to keep him from continuing and shook her head.

"Please, Peter." She let her eyes do the pleading as she looked up at him. She needed to feel again.

Peter looked down at her and felt himself drowning in the sorrowful pools of green before him. He wanted to know exactly what she wanted from him though. Was this a onetime thing? Was it the start of a relationship? Or was it to be casual? He wanted to shake her until she answered but that look she was giving him begged him not to ask. He would just have to show her how he felt and hoped she'd feel it and feel the same. Peter dropped his head down and captured her lips again and held nothing back. He drank her in through her mouth and let his hands wonder to her hips and pulled her closer to him so their bodies were only a breath apart. Olivia brought her hands up to his shoulders and used them to pull herself into his lap so that she was straddling his hips with hers. Peter groaned into her mouth as he quickly grew aroused to their close proximity. While grinding her hips into his she tugged at the hem of his t-shirt and started lifting. They broke apart and together they discarded the offending cloth; Olivia tossing it to the floor before she placed her hands tenderly on his broad chest. She leaned back an inch so she could watch her fingers trail down his torso and the muscles under her finger tips tense and release.

Peter watched as her face went into, what he fondly called, detective mode as she studied each and every part of him. He shivered under her intense attentions and that brought her gaze back up to his. Her eyes were wide and the darkest green he'd ever seen and it was for him. The shock must've shown on his face because she smirked at him and playfully pushed him back so that he was lying down and she was still straddling him. Peter chuckled at how carefree and happy she looked. He definitely liked this smiling and laughing Olivia. He let her pin his hands above his head as she leaned down to kiss him teasingly; gently nipping at his lower lip making him groan from beneath her.

"Livia…" he groaned, rotating his hips into hers making her whimper into his mouth. Olivia straightened up and after crossing her arms over her front and grabbing the hem of her shirt she lifted it up and over her head. Peter forgot to breath when her bare breasts were exposed to him, but his hands knew what to do and they traced their way up her front until he was balancing the ivory globes in his hands, reveling in how soft they were and how Olivia's breath quickened when his fingers brushed the sides of them. Olivia's back arched into his hands when his thumbs swirled around her quickly hardening nipples and she breathed his name. Peter sat up with her still in place and began to kiss up her left side just at her ribs and then when he finally got to her breasts he swirled his tongue around her nipple and then lightly blew on it making her squirm and moan. She tangled her fingers into his hair keeping his head in place as he explored her with lips and tongue. Not able to get the access he wanted from this position; Peter gripped her hips and flipped her over onto her back so he was hovering over her. Olivia was so shocked a small yelp escaped and they both laughed. It seemed to clear their heads a bit and Peter refocused on her and what they were doing.

"Livia, I'm sorry – I need to know what it is we're doing." Peter said regretfully.

Olivia visibly wilted at his words and frowned, scrunching her face in deep thought. "I-I know I want you and that you're the closest thing to a best friend I've got." She looked up at him with those sorrow filled eyes and Peter had to repress the urge to gather her into his arms. "I think I feel more – but…" Olivia growled in frustration. "I'm _scared_ to feel more. People I get close to _die_ and I can't fall apart like that again. I can't lose you, Peter. You already mean too much to me and- and if I felt more I think it would break me for good."

Peter leaned down kissed her with as much tenderness as he felt. Olivia relaxed beneath him and melted into the gentle kiss, but the emotions he was pouring into her with his lips were causing her heart to flutter and her stomach to twist. She really was falling for him and it felt like everything was just spiraling out of her control and she couldn't stop it. Before she could stop them, tears trickled down the side of her face from the overwhelming fear that was flooding her body. A sob broke free from her and Peter jerked back as if he had been slapped.

"Oh, Livia," Peter lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. "I never want to hurt you – ever." They lay curled up together with Peter making soft circles on her back until she had relaxed into his arms.

"Peter, take the hurt away." She pleaded into his chest, pressing her fingers into the flat planes of his torso. He contemplated the idea for all of five seconds before he came to the conclusion that he could at least help her with that. He tilted her chin up with his hand and lowered his face to hers and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She hardly felt his lips touching hers as they caressed and teased. Her heart felt like bursting from the amount of love he was pouring into this simple kiss and she drank it down like a woman too long in the desert.

Peter's hands moved down her sides and caressed her body until he reached her upper thighs. He scooped her ass into his hands and pulled her flush with his body and deepened the kiss making her gasp and squirm when her body made contact with his arousal. Olivia raked her fingers down the front of his body, leaving small pink tracks from her nails until she reached his very hard member. With her right hand she circled the tip of him through his shorts before pumping her hand down making him call out her name and jerk his body forward into her hands. Smirking, Olivia brought her left hand down to cup and roll him while her other hand continued to stroke him. Peter gasped and growled her name and soon his body was shaking with the effort not to spill himself into her hand.

"Livia! Please, stop!" Peter begged in a gasp as she came to a stop, pouting up at him. She was having a lot of fun just bringing him this kind of pleasure. Peter chuckled before flipping her over onto her back and kissing his way down her neck and to her chest. He stopped to flick his tongue across each nipple and to kiss and suck on them, making her back arch into him and moan. Peter slowly kissed down the length of her stomach, letting his tongue dart out to taste her skin as he got lower on her body. When he reached the edge of her shorts, Peter took the edges in both hands and slowly slid the fabric down, kissing down her legs until she was gloriously naked before him.

Olivia watched as Peter's eyes glazed over as he stared at her brazenly and couldn't help the blush that rose to her cheeks.

"_Peter!_" Olivia groaned in admonishment.

His head shot up and caught her gaze and blushed himself. Olivia chuckled and beckoned him closer. Peter moved up her body, needing to kiss her and unable to stop himself just now. Olivia's hands traced down the sides of his body rested on the band of his boxers and shut her mind off and just let her body do all the talking for her. She made quick work of removing the last piece of clothing shielding him from her eyes. When they were both absolutely naked, they pressed their bodies together and shuddered with the feeling of hot skin against soft flesh. They became a flurry of mouths and hands, exploring and needing to taste and feel more until Peter finally settled himself between her legs with Olivia near bucking up into him so that she could finally feel the length of him inside her.

"Tut, tut, Olivia… patience." Peter smirked down at her causing her to pout up at him.

She squirmed underneath him until her hot and moist center ground itself into his hardened member making him call out her name.

Finally, Peter couldn't wait any longer and in one smooth motion he entered her making them both lose their breath. When they finally caught it again they began to move together with Peter leaning down, nipping and kissing where her neck and shoulder met while Olivia gripped his hips and occasionally let her hands and nails wonder up and down his torso.

Peter could feel himself growing close to finishing and picked up his pace making Olivia groan in approval. Olivia's nails bit into his flesh and he could feel her coming around him as she called out his name and near thrashed beneath him. The sight of her writhing below him was what did him in as he came with one final thrust into her and whispered her name into her ear as his body went rigid above her. When they'd each caught their breath, Peter rolled to the side of her, pulling himself out. Olivia automatically rolled over to face him and rested her head on crook between his shoulder and chest, spooning her body into his so there wasn't even a breath of air between them. Smiling, Peter wrapped an arm under and around her and rested his other hand on her hip, keeping her close to him.

"Thank you, Peter." Olivia whispered to him.

Peter cringed on the inside at how that sounded; like he was doing her a favor and that was it. He'd felt her come undone beneath him and showed her exactly how he felt about her. He felt her momentarily tense beneath him and then relax again.

"Peter, I-" A sharp ringing broke her sentence. Peter's grip tightened around her for a moment before letting loose so she could answer; knowing she wouldn't appreciate his hindrance.

Olivia groaned before snagging the sheet and clutching it to her chest so that she could roll over and answer her phone.

"Dunham," Olivia said clearly into the phone.

"Grab your team, there's been another incident. The coordinates are on your vehicle's GPS. They'll be expecting you there in fifteen minutes." And with that Broyles hung up. Olivia set her phone down on the night stand and flopped back onto the bed with the sheet still clutched to her chest.

"I'll go see if Walter is still awake," Peter said sadly.

A/N: See! Fast update, for once, lol. Thanks to those who took some time to review, I love you all :-D I hope the smut wait was worth it, because next chapter is all action and angst, mwhahaha!


	6. Chapter 6

Olivia wanted to reassure him that they were going to be okay, but the words stuck in her throat and she could only nod. They each got dressed and Olivia went to wake Ella up for the car trip; she could always sleep in the car while they were inside. Peter ended up carrying a still sleeping Ella out to the car while Olivia carried a blanket and pillow for her. The car trip silent, but for the soft snores coming from Ella and Walter in the back seat. Olivia and Peter couldn't help but share a grin as Peter looked back and Olivia checked her rearview mirror. When they arrived at the old warehouse, Peter woke up Walter while Olivia unbuckled Ella and helped her lie down in the back with the blanket and pillow. She made sure to leave the two windows away from the crime scene slightly open and the doors locked and they headed over to wear the police vehicles were stationed. Olivia flashed her badge and pointed her thumb back at Walter and Peter stating that they were with her before continuing under the crime scene tape and into the warehouse.

_Same scene, different background; _was all Olivia could think of when she looked around her at all the blood. Putting on the crime scene booties and gloves they started in and almost immediately Walter dashed off to the right leaving Peter and Olivia to jog after him.

"Amazing! A whole skull!" Walter rejoiced.

Olivia grimaced and Peter shook his head in disappointment.

"This will most definitely reveal more about our canine-creatures." Walter said, slipping into science babble. Olivia tried to pay attention to what he was saying, but it all sounded like a constant buzzing in her ears.

"Livia!" Peter said sharply. _Had he been saying her name for awhile?_ Olivia thought.

She snapped her head up to look at him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, his hands fidgeting to touch and comfort her but he kept them by his side out of whatever professional courtesy she thought he should have.

She gave him a reassuring but sad smirk and nodded. Olivia was about to refocus on what Walter was saying when a high child-like scream permeated the air, followed by a roar that deafened everyone for a second.

"ELLA!" Olivia screamed and both Peter and Olivia were making a headlong dash back out of the building and out where they had parked the SUV. Once outside they saw a dog the size of a horse that had no skin and was covered in blood growling through the crack in the SUV window, trying to get in at Ella. Olivia paused a second to pull her gun out of its holster, giving Peter the extra few feet ahead of her. He didn't dare pause to think about what he was doing and he knew only that he had to rescue Ella who was pressed against the door closest to him, screaming and sobbing as the beast tried to claw its way into the vehicle with her.

"DUNHAM! KEYS!" Peter shouted back as he was running.

Olivia shoved her hands into her FBI light jacket and dragged out the keys, only clicking it when Peter was a foot away and she was about five feet away from them, gun held out and safety off. Luckily the dog was too focused on getting at Ella and it hadn't noticed Peter throwing the door open and catching a falling Ella as she tumbled out the door. But once Ella was out of the car the beast noticed and started around the front of the vehicle.

Guns began to fire at the beast the second Ella was clear of the target range and Peter carried Ella clutched close to his chest and ran back toward Olivia, making sure to crouch low. Peter watched with adrenaline-like detachment as Olivia open fired around him, completely trusting that she wouldn't shoot him or Ella but knowing that creature was probably pretty close made his legs pump faster. There was another deafening roar that almost had Peter stumbling to the ground at its proximity and clutched Ella even tighter as he hid her face into his chest so she couldn't see anything. When he finally reached Olivia who was still in her "shoot 'em" stance, he stopped short just behind her and finally turned to see what was going on.

The beast must've reared up and realized that Ella and Peter weren't easy food and decided to attack some of the other officers on the sidelines. Peter's legs shook in exhaustion and he struggled to stay standing. Olivia finally stole herself to turn and look at them, needing to know they were both okay. She kept her gun her side and ready but used her other to turn Ella's face toward her. The girl was shaking like a leaf in a storm but she wasn't crying anymore. Olivia then looked up at Peter and allowed herself to cradle his face in her hand; needing the physical proof that he was real and alive. When their gazes met there were tears in both of their eyes.

"Thank you, Peter. Thank you," Olivia whispered hoarsely, returning her free hand to rub Ella's back soothingly.

Peter wanted to reach out to her, but he needed both arms to hold Ella up so he could only nod weakly.

"We should probably get back and check on Walter," Olivia suggested, glancing back to see the battle between canine and agents raging on. The dog was brighter than she had originally given it credit for and it was ducking behind vehicles and striking out randomly and suddenly. Their only temporary safety was inside the building where they had left Walter. They hustled into the warehouse, Peter very careful to keep Ella's face pressed into his jacket so she wouldn't see anything. They found Walter with an agent who stayed behind to keep an eye on him. "Thank you, agent Heppard." Olivia nodded at the man who stood beside Walter.

Walter nearly collapsed in relief at seeing them alive and with him again.

"Is she alright?" Walter asked, ready to fuss over Ella.

"She'll be alright." Olivia affirmed and Peter nodded.

"Walter, do you know how to kill those monsters?" Peter asked.

Walter looked lost for a minute, but then his eyes came back in focus. "It would take a lot of fire power. Their blood tests show that they are highly resistant to pain of any kind."

Olivia nodded grimly. "I've gotta go back out and help them." She took out an extra round for her gun and loaded it.

"WHAT?" Peter half shouted but then realized he shouldn't scare Ella and so he switched to a normal voice. "No, Olivia. You can't."

"They need the help out there. Agent Heppard, you are to stay with the Bishops and my niece and protect them at all costs. Are we clear?" Olivia said, stripping her jacket off to blanket over Ella who looked like she was ready to go into shock. "Keep her safe, Peter." She caught his gaze with her own and before she could rethink her plan of action; turned and left the warehouse for the fight outside.

Peter wanted to yell at her and tell her she couldn't leave him. There was a knot in his stomach that made him think that this was the time she didn't come back to him and he had to fight not to break down and run after her. Gunfire, roars, and shouts filled the air while Peter and Walter stayed inside. Peter rocked Ella trying to get her to calm some, whispering soothing words into her hair. Walter worried his hands as he shifted from foot to foot. Fifteen minutes later and the gunfire slowed and there were no more roars. Instead there were shouts for a medic and a voice going over the radio saying they were clear to receive help.

"Ella, I'm going to leave you with agent Heppard, here…" Peter said calmly but she was already shaking her head in defiance with her eyes wide in fear. "I'll come back, but I need to go find your aunt Liv." But Ella only clung to him with a surprising strength. Sighing, Peter shrugged her up and rebalanced her so they could walk out together.

"We might as well all go," Peter said looking over at Walter and the agent who stayed behind. They all walked out, the agent in front of them in case they needed protecting, but when it had become clear that the monster was indeed dead and the scene before them was more of a blood bath. It looked as if 75% of the agents were not moving or torn up in some vicious way and the one left standing, most were injured and the others wondered around looking for comrades and making calls into dispatch trying to hurry them up. Peter's feet were glued to the ground in horror. Ella tried to lift her head to look around, but he swiftly steered her head away. "Don't look, Ella."

Ambulances showed up and there was a dispersion of medics rushing out to get to people. Peter searched high and low for any glimpses of blonde hair, but he wasn't having any luck. A couple times he would pause and ask another agent who was still standing if they had seen her but no one had. Real panic was beginning to engulf Peter and he had to fight to at least appear calm for Ella. They finally came upon an agent who had at least seen her at some point.

"I'm sorry, I think she got too close – looked like she was going for an eye shot. That _thing_ just engulfed her," the agent shivered as if remembering.

Peter's vision darkened at the edges and he was close to fainting when he remembered to breath. He fell to his knees and let the pain wash over him and cried into Ella's hair. Walter knelt behind him and rested a hand and his head on Peter's shoulder and let his own tears fall. It was a couple minutes before Walter stood up.

"We'll need this beast's body at the lab." Walter said with a gruff, yet excited voice.

"Walter," Peter's voice was tight with pain. "Not now, please."

"No – we need to be sure agent Dunham was ingested. We'll be able to find proof in the beast's stomach."

"Walter! I want her to be alive more than anyone, but-" Peter fought a sob. "I don't- I can't deal with that right now." He glanced down at Ella to emphasize his point.

"Son, I know you love her and that's why we need to be sure." Walter said, softening his voice.

Peter sighed and nodded grimly. He shakily got to his feet, with Ella still in his arms and they were beginning to ache with the effort of holding her up. He found the nearest standing agent and got his attention.

"We're going to need that _thing_ sent to the Harvard lab," Peter flashed the credentials clipped to his jacket. The agent nodded distractedly and passed on the order to a few other agents who had just joined the scene. Peter turned to Walter, frustration and anger clearly written across his face. "There; you happy now?"

"Well, no! But-" Walter stuttered but Peter was already carrying Ella back to the SUV. When they got to the vehicle Peter was relieved to see there was minimal damage and it would drive just fine.

"Alright, Ella. I'm going to put you into the backseat so we can go home, but I need you to trust me and promise me something, okay?"

Ella slowly nodded. "Where's aunt Liv?"

Peter didn't know what to tell her and when he didn't answer right away Ella began to fidget.

"I want aunt Liv. Where is she?" Ella tried to raise her head to look at Peter, but he kept her head lowered.

"She'll catch up with us later," Peter choked on the lie. But he didn't think he could handle both of them breaking down. He set her into the backseat and with her eyes shut tight she almost panicked the moment he set her down, but Walter got into the backseat with her and squeezed her hand gently. Peter grabbed the keys that she had given him shortly before and slid them into the ignition, and headed in the direction of home.

Once home, Ella finally opened her eyes and summing up the remainder of his strength, Peter carried the girl into the house and up the stairs.

"Peter, can I stay with you? Please?" Her voice shook in fear and he couldn't blame her after all she'd seen but he wanted to break down alone. He didn't want to be a rock. But if wouldn't be a rock for this little girl, who would?

"Okay, Ella." Peter said. "Hey, Walter? Get some sleep because we'll need to be up in a few hours." He called down the stairs behind him and didn't wait for an answer. He set Ella down on her feet next to the bed and moved to make the bed a little before they occupied it. The second he went to lift and straighten the sheets the combination of Olivia, himself, and sex permeated the air around him. Tears welled up into his eyes and he almost lost it right there. He'd made love to her just a couple hours ago in this very bed. Tears fell freely down his cheeks and he couldn't stop them.

"Peter? What's wrong?" Ella asked.

Peter scrunched his face up in the effort to stop crying in front of her. "I'm sorry, Ella. Why don't we stay in your room, yeah?"

Ella agreed and they crossed the hall to the guest room that had become Ella's. He tucked her into bed and made himself comfortable on the floor beside her bed since it was only a twin.

"Peter, could you tell me a story or sing me a song?" Ella asked, her voice already sounding on the verge of sleep.

"Sure," Peter paused to think of an appropriately cheerful song for a child and finally settled on "Toora, Loora, Loora" an old lullaby his mother used to sing to him.

"Toora, loora, loora  
Toora, loora, li  
Toora, loora, loora  
Hush, now, don't you cry  
Ah,  
Toora, loora, loora  
Toora, loora, li  
Toora, loora, loora  
It's an Irish lullaby

Over in Killarney, many years ago  
My mother sang this song to me in tones so sweet and low  
Just a simple little ditty in her good old Irish way  
And I'd give the world if she could sing that song to me  
this day

Toora, loora, loora  
Toora, loora, li  
Toora, loora, loora  
Hush, now, don't you cry  
Ah,  
Toora, loora, loora  
Toora, loora, li  
Toora, loora, loora  
It's an Irish lullaby"

When he was finished she was asleep and he smiled, but then he saw traces of his Olivia in Ella's features and it all came rushing back.

His Olivia.

Peter let himself fall apart silently as he lay out on the floor. His love; his Olivia – was gone.

A/N: I promise not to leave you hanging very long! Please review if you likey :D


	7. Chapter 7

The next day he left Ella and Walter at the lab with Astrid and continued on to the hospital to see Rachel. He felt confident that Astrid would be able to juggle the two and had given her strict orders for Ella not to see the beast when it was brought in. The poor girl had woken up a few times in the night screaming and shaking as it was.

When he got to Rachel's door he tapped lightly and then cracked the door open. Her face lit up when she saw him and she looked to be trying to peer around him for someone else to follow. It was painful to see her face so beaten and yet so anxious, but what was worse were the reminders of her sister. Blonde hair, the color of her skin, and lips all served as painful reminders and his face screwed up in pain and his body tensed.

"Peter! I didn't expect to see you here. Where's Liv?" She asked.

"I- She-" Peter choked on a sob and tried to breath through it without crying.

"Oh God…" Rachel's voice shook. "Where is she, Peter? She's alright, right?"

Peter shook his head vehemently. "I'm sorry, Rach. She- There was a mission and she died saving others." Peter's voice broke and tears threatened to fall, but he kept them in check. "It's the way she would've wanted to go." He had been telling himself that since he'd woken up and he was still waiting for it to make him feel better, but it wasn't working. He moved to stand beside Rachel's bed and he hugged her, letting her tears and sobs flow freely. It was a good ten minutes before she came to a slow stop.

"Ella?" She asked, letting her daughter's name be a question on it's own.

"She's doing alright. She's staying with my father and me, but she doesn't know about…" He let it hang and sighed. "I didn't know how to tell her and it only just happened this last night."

"Can I see Liv? Please?" Rachel asked, straightening herself up in the hospital bed.

Peter shook his head, "no, there's nothing left of her." He said quietly, avoiding her gaze.

Fresh sobs racked Rachel's body as she mourned the loss of her sister. Peter sat on the edge of her bed and just held her.

"I'm so sorry, Rach – so sorry…" he murmured. They stayed like that for a half hour before she was ready to talk again.

"You know, Liv wanted to be a cop since she was nine, did she tell you?" Rachel asked, her voice just a little tight from crying. Peter nodded in affirmation that he did indeed know that. "She would play cops and robbers with all the neighborhood boys back in Jacksonville, but they would never let her be a cop because she was a girl. So she always kicked their asses being a robber until they wouldn't let her play anymore."

Peter couldn't not laugh at the image of a smaller Olivia out-conning a bunch of boys. He knew first hand that she was good at it so it wasn't all that hard to imagine. Rachel told several such stories until she had fallen asleep; completely exhausted from all the emotional turmoil. Feeling lighter than before, Peter left a scrap of paper with his cell phone number on it on her bedside so if she needed anything, she could get a hold of him. He headed back to the lab, not entirely sure if he was ready to face the thing that had killed his Olivia, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready so he might as well start now.

Entering the lab he saw Astrid tirelessly working beside Walter who was completely absorbed in the beast laid out across several tables pushed together. Astrid had tear streaks on her cheeks and Peter looked at her apologetically. She had just found out when they'd shown up at the lab and he had asked her to work through the news and babysit his father and Ella. He knew it wasn't fair and so he would remedy that now.

"Would you prefer to hang out with Ella or stay out here?" Peter asked, setting his jacket down on a nearby chair.

Astrid's face flooded with relief at being given an out. "Thank you, Peter." She whipped off her lab apron and gloves and practically ran to the next room.

Sighing, Peter dove into Walter's task and tried to let his mind focus on the task in front of him instead of his last moments with Olivia.

They got home rather early, since they had Ella in their care. Once in the door, Ella trudged up the stairs, exhausted and sad. Walter went straight for the kitchen and Peter went and checked the mail. He sorted through the envelopes; phone bill, cable bill, coupons, and then settled on a palm size package. Frowning he turned it over in his hands and double checked who it was addressed to: _Peter Bishop_. No address or sender info or even a postcode stamp.

Setting down the other pieces of mail he began to unwrap the package when a light yellow blur rolled out of the paper wrapping and almost fell to the floor if he hadn't caught it. He almost dropped it when he realized what it was.

It was her badge; special agent Olivia Dunham and it was tied with a lock of silky soft blonde hair and he knew it was hers. A scrap of hair was stuck to the back of the badge and he ripped it off.

_Peter,_

_If you want to see her alive again, you'll bring $500,000 to pier 55 Hancock Bay. You've got two days or we kill her slowly._

Peter's stomach dropped and he was torn between laughing in joy because she was alive and crying because she wasn't safe. He couldn't lose her twice.

It was that all over achy pain that woke Olivia up from her deep slumber. She bit back a groan as she opened her eyes just a slit to see what was going on around her while taking stock of her body. Hands; fingers are okay, but they're definitely bound. Feet and ankles; not bound, but the left one can barely wiggle and it hurts like a bitch. She went through the rest of her body with her mental checklist and when she was finished she squirmed her way to a sitting position instead of lying on her side with her face pressed to cold concrete. She gave her eyes some time to adjust to the darkness and while she waited she racked her brain for the reason she was here in such a state.

There had been a monster. It had tried to eat Ella. Her mind flooded with panic, but then she remembered. Peter had saved her. She was safe with him. Lots of shooting. Her brain still echoed with the reminance of all that gunfire. She was just slipping into one of the monster's blind spots when she'd felt something make contact with the back of her head and than nothing. Everything just went black and now she was here.

Olivia was about to get to her feet and hobble around her smallish room to explore when a door across the room from her opened, temporarily blinding her. Her first reaction was to cover her eyes but when she couldn't she was left to blink as her eyes watered.

"Ah, the bitch is awake." A man's voice said and she heard his footsteps getting closer. Olivia glared up in his direction defiantly and didn't even flinch when he grasped her face in his large hand.

"I just don't see it." The man said curiously, turning her face in his hand as she fought the movement. "I've seen Bishop go for the more exotic meek woman; never anyone like you."

She did flinch then; just a little. She fought the old insecurities and renewed her glare up at him and he chuckled.

"Well, at least you see it too." He said gruffly.

"What do you want with me?" Olivia ground out.

The man grinned wickedly at her. "I've made a deal with the scientists behind those killer beasts that if they helped me get my money from Bishop, I would split the pot with them so I get paid and they can further their research. See, I'd found out months ago what Peter Bishop was up to these days but besides threatening his life, I knew I didn't have enough to get him to pay me. In the past I could just threaten the life of the bird in his picture for the moment, but he was never with one long enough to endanger her life. But now, he's finally slipped and fallen for a plain-Jane FBI agent of all people. I'll admit it made it more difficult to kidnap you, but with the help of those scientists I think we did just fine."

"That beast was just a distraction to get me?" Olivia nearly screeched but kept her voice angry.

"A rather big one, yes." The man smiled a big Cheshire grin.

"People died! Dozens of them! Couldn't you just wait until I was alone or just break in and kidnap me?" Olivia growled, but then she realized why he was telling her all this. The bad guy never revealed his plan without getting rid of the people who knew.

The man actually laughed at her before playfully slapping her cheek.

"How are you going to kill me?" Olivia asked, trying to keep her wavering voice flat.

He smiled at her like a child who had surprised him. "So very clever, Olivia. I promise you'll get to watch Bishop die before I kill you." And then he stood up and walked out, leaving her stunned into silence.

A/N: I hope I didn't delay this too long and that it was worth the wait. Thanks to the few of you who reviewed; I love you all!


	8. Chapter 8

Peter sat in Broyle's office, his left leg jumping up in down in anxiousness and frustration. He wanted to take action now. Fuck waiting, fuck planning. He needed to see and hold Olivia again and know she was alive. He felt like a man on the edge as Broyle's finally hung up his phone.

"Alright, Bishop, this is how it's going to work. We're going to send you in with the money, but there's going to be a SWAT team surrounding the building."

"Don't you think they'll expect that and notice that a bunch of agents are circling?" Peter asked, clearly frustrated with the obvious plan.

"Give us a little more credit. We'll be approaching from a distance and they'll remain quite hidden until they receive the signal.

"I still don't like it…" Peter frowned.

"Of course you don't." Broyles said, completely expecting that answer.

"Her life is on the line if even one of those agents is detected. I don't like those odds."

"I know, but I'm not letting you go out there without some form of backup so get over it." Broyles said dismissively. Peter only crossed his arms and glared tired eyes at him. "Be here 24 hours for briefing and we'll go in then. In the mean time, try to get some rest, Bishop."

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," Peter muttered under his breath as he took his exit.

Olivia was tired and hungry, but neither of those things was going to be solved any time soon so she let her mind wander to anything but what situation she was in and how it all seemed rather hopeless. She didn't have any doubts that Peter would come for her. Despite what he thought, he was one of the good guys, and he would attempt to save her. The question more on her mind was, would he survive the attempt.

Olivia tried to stand so that she could pace out her frustration, but her ankle flared with pain that made Olivia dry heave and stumbled back to her knees and almost black out. She did get at least two visits from her captor in which he would taunt her. On one such visit, he had brushed his hand gently across her cheek and when she didn't react he moved his hand down her neck and then slowly down to brush the side of her breast, making her jerk back into the wall and growl. He'd laughed at her and she brought her bound hands up to hit him away from her but he'd caught them and then back handed her face making darkness eat at the edge of her vision. She was momentarily stunned and he took it as an opportunity to rip her button shirt open. His breathing got heavy as he took her in and Olivia struggled to regain control of her weakened body to defend herself.

"Maybe Bishop had it right, picking you. You're certainly not that horrible to look at," he said, voice low. He reached out and pinched her breasts hard forcing a cry of pain from her lips. She brought her hands across and actually made contact with him so that he stumbled back, but then he sucker punched her in the stomach sending all the air out of her body. Olivia doubled over and fought for air, but it wasn't coming and she soon blacked out.

Olivia fought her way from the black abyss that was unconsciousness only to find herself hanging by her wrists over an open warehouse, about thirty feet up. The place was empty but for a camera sitting on a tripod on the mezzanine level pointed toward her. She thought about rocking herself to try and reach the mezzanine level but it was definitely too far away considering she only had four feet of chain above her head and the platform was a good twenty feet away.

"Alright, darling. This is how it's going to work." A voice came from over a speaker. "I've got another guy meeting Bishop to get the money from him but he's going to want proof you're alive so we've got the camera set up. I know they said you'd get to see him die, but you'll have to live with just hearing it because I'll have it all on speaker. Oh and he just showed up and he's all alone."

"No!" Olivia worked furiously with her binds in hopes that could loosen them and maybe climb up the chain, but she was stunned into silence and immobility when she heard his voice over the speakers.

"Where is she?" His voice was hard and angry. She almost wept at getting to hear his voice.

"Oh she's somewhere," that voice that had taunted her said casually.

"I need proof."

Olivia saw the red light on the camera flick on and she began struggling anew. "PETER! PETER RUN! IT'S A TRAP!"

His cold chuckle echoed in the warehouse. "Oh he can't hear you, sweet Olivia."

"Olivia? Can you hear me?" His voice wavered from its original anger.

"TRAP! PETER, TRAP!" She mouthed the words as she screamed them.

"I want her here, in this room before I give you this money." Peter's voice echoed.

"Tut, tut, tut, Mr. Bishop." She heard the click of the safety on a gun from over the speakers and she thrashed wildly.

"NOOOOO! PETER!" Olivia screamed.

"You didn't actually think we'd let you walk away from this, did you Bishop?"

"No, I didn't. But I'd hoped you'd let her go before you killed me." Peter's voice sounded flat and just slightly defeated.

That horrible laughter that Olivia had grown to recognize since her captivity echoed through the warehouse. "She'll only live for a few minutes longer than you, I promise."

"Livia – I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Just know that I love you," Peter said.

"PETER, NO!" And then two gunshots fired and she heard the dull thud of something solid hitting the floor. "NOOOOO!" Olivia whaled and screamed.

"Don't worry, it was quick and now he isn't going to have to suffer for your loss." And then there was a click of him hanging up.

Olivia's body sagged in defeat as sobs racked and shook her body. He knew they would kill him and he still came. And he'd said he'd loved her. Tears poured down her face as she thought over every last detail of when they were last together. Their first and last time. It just wasn't fair. She never got to tell him she felt the same. She never got to say those words both of them needed to hear.

There was a loud click from above her head and then the sound of a motor running from somewhere to her left. She made herself look and saw four of the beasts prowl out with their noses to the ground or air. Normally at such a sight, fear and adrenaline would flood her veins, but now she half welcomed the death they promised. Deep down she knew it was the grief of losing Peter that made her irrationally suicidal, but she didn't care to live on without him and it didn't look as if she would be provided a way out so why fight it…

A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long to update! If it hadn't been for Alex I would've probably continued to forget. I've actually just got dragged away on another fringe fic that I'm co-authoring (and no it isn't posted yet, but it will be eventually). Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll do my best to update chapter 9 much sooner!


	9. Chapter 9

One of the beasts took a running leap upon seeing her and her eyes widened and her body involuntarily jerked up even though the thing would've missed if she hadn't, but then the clicking above her head started and she felt herself being lowered. She whimpered through the tears and dropped her head in defeat. The beasts circled below her like waiting sharks but Olivia didn't care. Her body still jerked up every time one would take a leap, narrowly missing her. It would probably only take a few more leaps before they got her legs. She vaguely heard the sound of gunfire, but brushed it off as part of her imagination because the beasts' growls drowned out everything else. Another leap, but this time it got the cuff of her suit pants and ripped down taking her pants with it. _Wonderful, she was going to be stripped naked first._ She thought darkly and almost smiled as the sarcasm reminded her of Peter. _Her _Peter. She wanted his face to be the last image she saw when the beasts tore her apart.

But the beasts were beginning to flinch and break apart from beneath her and then she watched in wonder as one lit up into flames. The creature ran in circles, trying to shake the flame but then it charged a corner of the warehouse. Olivia strained her neck over to see a whole SWAT team flooding in, most of them opening gunfire at them and some of them with fire-throwers. She watched in horrified fascination as two of them were killed leaving only two to go, but she was still being lowered slowly and now she was only ten feet from the ground. Easy prey if they chose to notice her. Ten feet was quickly becoming five and now her toes were just a couple feet off the ground when she felt strong arms wrap around her middle, taking the weight off her wrists. Olivia thrashed and kicked out until she heard his voice in her ear.

"Dammit, Livia, stay still. I'm trying to get you off this damn hook before they notice you're easy food." Peter's voice rasped in her ear and Olivia immediately went slack in his arms as she was lowered the last couple inches.

"Peter? Oh God, Peter – you're alive. But-" She said between silent sobs.

"I'll explain later, but we need to get out of here first." He spun her around and placed a rushed kiss onto her forehead, unable to stop himself. With an arm around her back and her arm over his shoulders for support, they hobbled off to the side and behind a row of agents already clearing a path for them. Once outside, Peter swept Olivia up into his arms and walked her the rest of the way to an ambulance that was just driving up.

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and held her body close to his, needing to believe that this was all happening and real. The need to make him understand her feelings before he got ripped away from her again became overwhelming and she pulled her face far enough away from so that she could see his face.

"Peter, I love you. I'm sorry I didn't say it before and I should never have doubted what I felt for you-"

Peter interrupted her confession with a long and passionate kiss that stole her breath away. When he pulled back he tenderly kissed all over her face, reveling in her soft skin and being allowed to do so in public.

"I love you too, 'Livia." He murmured into her hair as he held her close again. He heard a voice being cleared and he peered over her Olivia's head to see a medic beckoning them toward the ambulance so Olivia could be checked out. Grudgingly, Peter carried her over to the ambulance and set her down. He stayed close by though, hovering over the medic as he flashed a light in each of Olivia's eyes and another felt her swollen ankle to see if it was broken. Olivia was hard pressed to focus on the people looking her over and more often then not she just stared at Peter; soaking in the sight of him. After a few minutes one of the medics insisted that they take Olivia to the hospital to be checked over more thoroughly. "I'm coming with." Peter said stubbornly.

The medics eyed him and then shared a look.

"Please," Peter said, begging with eyes and then looking at Olivia again.

"Okay," The taller of the two said and they began situating Olivia onto a stretcher and then into the ambulance where Peter followed soon after.

When they were inside the truck and moving the medic who wasn't driving began moving around grabbing a sheet to help cover Olivia and then to grab various tools to ensure she was okay. Peter watched in horror as he took in the bruises on her and stomach and an especially nasty human bite mark on her right breast that made his face turn red in anger. Olivia noticed where he was staring and couldn't help but look away. Maybe he wouldn't want her after what had happened after all. Hell, she didn't even know what had happened to her while she was blacked out. Her whole body ached and she couldn't tell where the pain started or ended. The medic must have had a similar thought.

"Ms. Dunham, were you sexually abused?" The medic asked gently.

Olivia turned sheet white and she bit her lip, trying to remember but not sure if she wanted to. "I…" Peter engulfed her hand in his hand gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Were you raped?" The medic asked, trying a different line.

Olivia's eyes teared up in frustration at her inability to remember what happened to her and she shook her head. "I don't know," she choked on the words that made her feel even weaker but Peter was there to sooth her as he rubbed a thumb in circles o the top of her hand.

"It's okay, Olivia." The medic responded in sincerity. "We'll order a rape kit at the hospital."

Olivia looked up to see Peter with tears glistening in his eyes that had yet to fall. She couldn't stand to see him so miserable and sad so she looked away and watched out the back window as the scenery passed.

When they arrived at the hospital, Olivia was almost happy that they wouldn't let Peter come into the room with her as they finished checking her over and doing a round of tests.

Peter just paced back and forth until he decided that since he was at the hospital he could let Rachel know that her sister was indeed alive and just a floor away. Maybe they'd both gain something from a sisterly visit. When he stepped into Rachel's room she was sitting up in a chair located near the window just staring out looking rather depressed.

"Hey," Peter said, as he stepped further into the room. Rachel didn't even spare him a glance as she responded.

"Hi."

"She's alive."

Rachel's head snapped toward his direction so fast he thought she'd re-injure herself. "What? But I thought you said-"

"There were a few accounts from other agents who saw her get killed, but it was just a rouse. She'd been kidnapped. Suffice it to say, she's alive and just upstairs if you want to go visit." Peter recounted for her.

"Of course!" Rachel said, tears racing unchecked down her cheeks in happiness. "Can we go now?"

Peter paused and frowned down at the ground. "The doctors are just looking her over, but in a couple hours we can probably go in." They were both quiet for a few minutes before Rachel spoke up.

"How bad is it, Peter?" She asked tentatively.

Peter's face darkened and he had to look away and swallow past the lump in his throat. "I don't know, Rach." He paused and took a deep breath. "She'll definitely live though. I've seen her in worse shape, but-"

"Peter, I'm sure you did everything you could to keep her safe. That girl has not an ounce of self preservation in her, which makes it all the harder to love her." Rachel said, giving him a knowing look.

"Yes. Yes it does." Peter agreed solemnly.

A/N: A little faster than last time! I really want to finish this fic before I have to go back into the hospital for the next round of surgery that will have me out of commission for at least a couple weeks. So my goal is to finish this by the end of next weekend. Hope you all enjoyed this : ) And thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter you all made my week!


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you Peter Bishop?" A nurse dressed in light purple scrubs asked him. He must've fallen asleep in the chair beside Rachel's bed while waiting for word of Olivia.

"Yeah, is Olivia done now?" He asked trying to wake up completely.

"Yeah, she's been asking for you too." She said.

Peter's stomach dropped and he nodded and thanked the nurse for passing along the message. He probably should've stayed closer to her room in case she needed him, but he hadn't slept in two days and after all that had happened and knowing Olivia was safe finally had taken its toll on him. Rachel had also fallen asleep in her hospital bed but he didn't want to wake her just yet. He quietly snuck out of the room and made his way to Olivia's a couple floors down. He knocked softly on her door and poked his head in to see her lying in the bed and staring out the window. She looked so broken and frail that he had to stop himself from rushing to her side and enclosing her in his arms and never letting go.

"Hey," he finally spoke up and stepped completely into the room. She whipped her head around and when she saw it was him a small smile crossed her face.

"Hi," her voice was a little raspy and soft but it made his stomach do summersaults all the same. "It came back negative." She blurted rather rushed to get the piece of information off her chest.

Peter smiled and took the seat beside her bed. "I'm glad, but even if it hadn't you'd have a very difficult time getting rid of me; you know that right?" He slipped her one of his more charming smiles and the frown that had started on her face changed to a hesitant smile.

"You know I wouldn't blame-" She started but Peter put a finger to her lips to stop her from continuing.

"No, Olivia, love means no matter what. Nothing could change how I feel about you, so don't go offering me any outs because I don't want any." Peter said seriously.

Olivia fought the smile that wanted to take over her face, but then he looked up at her with a frown.

"I'm sorry all this happened to you. It's my fault you were taken and it's my fault you're hurt." She could see the pain beaming from his eyes at his own admission and sadness and anger enveloped Olivia on his behalf.

"Peter," she said calmly. "You didn't knock me out and kidnap me and you definitely didn't torture me. All that was at the hands of some bad men, and you're not one of them."

When Peter couldn't find an ounce of blame in her eyes he allowed himself to relax. She clearly didn't fault him even though he did himself. He slipped his hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I think Rachel would like to see you, if you wanted." Peter said.

"I'd like that actually, but for now, could you stay?" She asked, looking as if it had cost her a great deal to even ask him.

"Of course," he brought the hand resting in his up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Ella fairly danced around the waiting room at the hospital while both Rachel and Olivia signed the last of the papers to be released just three days after Olivia was admitted. They were all going back to Olivia's apartment that day since it had been cleaned up again. Both Olivia and Rachel looked a little uneasy about it, just because of the memories the place held, but it's not like they'd had time to go shopping for a different place. Peter was there to pick them up and since there was no room for more in the car, Astrid had stayed home with Walter. The entire way back Ella chattered to Rachel in the backseat as if her mom had just been away visiting friends and not seriously injured and Rachel just nodded and smiled, looking all to happy to see her daughter safe and happy. Peter glanced over at Olivia who was sitting beside him and looking rather lost in the passenger seat and squeezed her knee reassuringly. She bit her lip and knit her brow.

"It's going to be okay," Peter said, trying to make the look of worry ease from her face. It slackened a bit but the tension in her body and face remained. Worry for her ate at him the entire trip to her place. He knew he wasn't going to be getting any sleep tonight and by the look on her face, she certainly wasn't going to either. Peter ached to stay with her or bring her home with him, but he knew she would feel the need to be strong for Rachel and Ella and that meant her staying there with them.

When they arrived, Peter walked them into the apartment. Olivia tensed in the doorway while Rachel followed Ella in who was busy throwing her belongings around the apartment hardly noticed and Rachel just looked relieved to be out of the hospital and with her daughter again.

Peter rested his hands on Olivia's hips from behind her and she jumped before remembering it was him and relaxing.

"Let me stay, please Olivia," he whispered into her ear.

Olivia bit her lip, wanting more than anything to take him up on his offer.

"Please, if not for you – then me." She turned and saw the pleading look on his face; just begging her to say 'yes' to this one request. "I'll sleep on the couch, if you want, just please don't ask me to leave here without you."

How could she say 'no' to that face? "What about Walter?"

"I'll call and ask Astrid to stay the night with him." Peter said, already getting his cell phone out.

"You're sure?" Olivia asked, giving him an out if he wanted.

"Of course!" Peter said, dialing home. "Hey! Walter, could you put Astrid on the phone?" Pause. "Yes, this is Peter." Pause. "That's not why I'm calling, just put Astrid on the phone, okay?" Pause. He rolled his eyes making Olivia smirk and he smiled in return. "Hey, Astrid, do you think you could stay there tonight?" Pause. "Thanks, I owe you – yes, I think I can get Olivia to give you a full weekend off." Peter laughed. "I'll see you in the morning, bye." Peter hung up the phone and smiled at Olivia.

"We're heading straight to bed, I think. It's been a long day," Rachel said as she ushered Ella to the second bedroom they had been sharing.

"Yeah it has; g'night Rach. G'night Ella," Olivia said and Peter nodded his head toward the two, already feeling a little tired himself.

"If it's alright with you, maybe we could get some sleep as well?" Peter asked cautiously.

"Yeah, that sounds like a nice idea," Olivia answered with a yawn that made him chuckle.

"Lead away then," Peter smiled and took her hand in his as she entered further into the apartment and finally opened the door to her bedroom.

Olivia slipped into autopilot as she undressed and threw on a tank top. Turning to see where Peter had gotten in his state of undress she was amused to find him still fully clothed and staring at her with his mouth hung slightly open and eyes wider than normal.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to being able to stare at you without feeling like a perve," Peter said, his voice gone soft, and smiled.

"Well get used to it because I'm all yours," she said with a come hither smile.

"Mmmmm," Peter growled as he approached her and then skimmed his hands down from her shoulders to her waist. "All mine…" and he began placing soft whiskered kisses along her neck and delighted in the fact that she trembled beneath his lips and her pulse raced against the press of his tongue.

"Peter…" she whispered, letting her arms wrap up and around his neck and tilting her head to the side to allow him better access.

He relished in each hitched breath and soft whimper as he feasted on her skin that just days ago he thought he'd never get to touch again, let alone taste.

"You're wearing way too much," Olivia pouted playfully before taking a step back so that she could start to undress him. Peter's shoulders dropped and he returned her pouting face with his own.

"But I was having fun…" he whined, playing with the skin hiding just under the bottom hem of her tank top along her waist.

"Mmmmm, I think it's my turn now," she murmured as she hoisted his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. Brushing her fingers along his chest and stomach, she took comfort from the heat radiating from his body and the solid feel of him beneath her touch. When her fingers met the waist of his jeans she undid the button and zipper so that his pants dropped to the floor. He stepped forward out of the jeans and closer to her so that his hands slid around her waist and pulled her body flush with his.

"For awhile I wasn't sure I'd ever get to hold you again," Peter murmured above her head, just loud enough for her to hear as he kept her close.

"I know… me too," Olivia whispered roughly into his shoulder, remembering the gun shots that broke her heart when she had thought him dead. She shivered involuntarily and buried her face into his bare chest.

Peter ran soothing hands up and down her back and just held her. When her shivering subsided he brought his hand up under her chin and tilted her face up toward his and brought his lips down to meet hers in a tender and sweet kiss. He pulled back after a minute to see the look on her face, but she was quick to draw him back into a deeper kiss that sent his blood rushing south.

Olivia lightly tugged him to the bed, never breaking free from their kiss, until the back of her knees hit the edge. Breaking the kiss, Olivia climbed onto the bed and leaned back on her elbows with her knees bent and gave him a saucy wink that made Peter give a short laugh before he followed her onto the bed and positioned himself between her legs and lowered his lips to kiss hers. She sighed when his tongue brushed against her lower lip and met it with her own as he pressed her into the bed. Bringing her hands up to his face she cradled his stubbled cheeks and then pushed her fingers back into his hair.

Peter played with the hem of her shirt and the soft skin just beneath it until he couldn't take the temptation anymore and he pulled back from the kiss to help the shirt go up and over her head, exposing her pale breasts to his gaze. His heart stopped for a moment as he took in the fading bruises and healing flesh wounds and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to collect her into his arms and never let her leave his sight again.

Olivia watched his eyes cloud with unshed tears as he stared down at her and silently cursed the men who had done this to her; to them. She began to pull back and reach for her shirt to cover herself so he didn't have to see when he stopped her with a hand on her waist.

"I'm sorry, I still feel the lingering guilt over what they did to you," Peter said softly, willing her to understand.

"But it wasn't your fault and I'm fine," Olivia insisted softly, gently cradling his face to stare down at hers.

"I know. I just wish I could've protected you better," Peter said while he traced the soft contours of her body, already distracted by the treasure just beneath him.

"Mmmmm, well you saved me, didn't you?" She said, slightly breathless from his lingering touches.

Peter mouth claimed one of her nipples in a flash and she arched her back up and into his hot mouth and let out a strangled cry of surprise and pleasure. He moaned into her breast as her hips thrust against his quickly hardening arousal and the vibrations only caused Olivia to squirm more and whimper as it sent shock waves of pleasure down her spine to pool at her center. Peter's hand wandered down her body, following each curve and dip until he could caress her gently through her panties causing her to tremble in anticipation. He lightly traced the outline of her teasingly until she was putty in his hands, yielding and begging him for more. Slipping his fingers around the flimsy barrier he parted her and explored her like he was trying to memorize every inch of her.

Olivia's breathing became quick and labored as she bit her lip hard so as not to scream and wake her sister and niece. His touch was lighting her on fire from the inside out and she balanced on the edge of a precipice she wasn't sure she'd survive. When his finger slipped into her and this thumb brushed against that sweet spot she saw stars erupt in her vision and she groaned his name as her body shuddered her climax. She whimpered when she felt his hand moving away from her, wanting the feeling to linger, but then she felt him slide her panties down and kick off his boxers and poise himself at her entrance.

Wanting more than anything to feel him inside of her but wanting to turn the tables on him even more she flipped him over so that he lay shocked on his back, staring up at her in a slight daze. She giggled at his stunned face and leaned down to kiss him passionately. Recovering rather quickly, Peter brought his hands to grip her hips as she ground herself down on him in a teasing manner, making him gasp her name and his head tip back. Olivia trailed her lips down the newly exposed neck line, enjoying the taste of his skin and wishing she could do this forever.

"Livia… please…" he groaned when she gently bit down right above his heart.

Raising her hips just slightly, she flicked them forward and then hooked them back down so that he was once again placed at her entrance. She stared down into his eyes and knew this was where she belonged; here with him as so much more than a partner and a best friend.

"I love you, Peter," she whispered, letting him see the honesty shine in her dark green gaze and then she eased down, sheathing him inside of her. His hands tightened on her hips and his head tipped back into the pillows again as he groaned his approval.

When she was completely settled on him she raised her hips to begin but his hands kept her in place.

"I love you too, Livia," he said and brought a hand up to cup her cheek and he gently pulled her face down so that he could kiss her. The pressure on her hips let up and Olivia took that as a sign that she could start and she raised her hips up enough so that he was still just barely inside of her and then ground herself back down onto him making him moan into her mouth and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

This was definitely where she belonged.

Olivia drew out their pleasure alternating between slow and fast until Peter couldn't take anymore and flipped her over onto her back and picked up his own faster pace that brought Olivia her second orgasm that night making her cry out his name as she shuddered beneath him. He was quick to follow as her insides convulsed around him, making it all the harder to continue and he spilled himself inside of her in one final thrust. Panting for air at the short burst of extreme exercise, Peter slowly pulled out of her and collapsed beside her on the bed. Before he lost all his strength he pulled her over to him and she wrapped her body along his side and buried her face between his shoulder and chest.

"So does this mean you'll let me take you out on a date?" Peter asked, already feeling the dredges of exhaustion settling in on him, but needing to ask this question now. She seemed to ponder it for a few seconds before she nodded into his chest.

"I guess so," Olivia said tiredly.

"Well don't sound too thrilled about it," he chuckled nervously.

Olivia laughed and tightened her hold on him. "I'd love to go on a date with you, Peter Bishop."

"Yes!" He chuckled and grinned playfully. Holding her in his arms, Peter drifted off to sleep with the knowledge that she would still be there in the morning and she was his and nothing was going to take her away from him again. He felt her go slack beside him as she too drifted off and he smiled. Life was officially good.

A/N: Okay I know this was LOOOOOOONG overdue but I'm just happy to get this out before I head into surgery on Monday like I'd originally promised forever ago. I had hoped to have this chapter be fluff, but the smut fairy found me and wouldn't not let me write that final 'M' scene. I want to thank Fantasy Cat and asha710 for reminding me that this fic existed and that it needed finishing and I hope it was worth the wait. And of course to Americanchick who's ever been there to review both the crap and treasure I write and support me.


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